We live, simultaneously, in two different worlds. Ultimately, we live in the World of Nature, a world that we did not create and the world upon which all life depends. Most immediately, we inhabit a "human world" that we create ourselves. Because our human world is the result of our own choices and actions, we can say, quite properly, that we live, most immediately, in a “political world.” In this blog, I hope to explore the interaction of these two worlds that we call home.

About Me

Gary A. Patton

I was an elected official in Santa Cruz County, California for twenty years, from 1975 to 1995. Now, I am an environmental attorney, practicing law in Santa Cruz County. If you would like to contact me, send me an email at gapatton@mac.com.

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Friday, December 11, 2015

#345 / Rich Governor

The image above comes from the online version of a story that ran in the November 30, 2015 edition of The New York Times. I guess the purpose of this posting is simply to refer you to that story, with the hope that you will read it, too.

As a quick summary, the story tells how "the richest man in Illinois," billionaire hedge fund owner Kenneth C. Griffin, bought himself a Governor, Bruce Rauner (who is also rich).

This is a profoundly discouraging story of how money can (and will) subvert a healthy and decent politics. I guess my hope is that the discouragement occasioned by the story will not be our final resting place.

When I think of the outrageous and destructive impacts that money is having on our system of self-government, what comes to mind is a phrase from a former President (George H.W. Bush): "This will not stand."